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Effect of gluten free diet on gastrointestinal and behavioral indices for children with autismspectrum disorders: a randomized clinical
Despite there being several studies that have inspected the relationship between restricted diets and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Ghalichi et al. (2016) declare that the research thus far has been inconclusive. This randomized clinical trial therefore aimed to clear up the impact of the gluten-free diet on the behaviors and gastrointestinal symptoms of children with ASD. Half of the 80 child participants diagnosed with ASD were fed the gluten-free diet for 6 weeks, while the other half received regular diets for the same time duration. While ~54% of the children had gastrointestinal abnormalities, prevalence of GI symptoms significantly dropped in the gluten-free diet-fed group, while the regular diet group experienced more gastrointestinal issues (although not to a significant extent). But the gluten-free diet was associated with significant decreases in behavioral disorders too, whereas the number of cases increased in children fed the regular diet. To conclude, the gluten-free diet may effectively control gastrointestinal symptoms and reduce behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorder. [NPID: ASD, Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, brain development, cognition, communication, social skills, neurodevelopmental disorders, gastrointestinal symptoms, digestion, GI symptoms, GI tract, behavioral disorders]
Year: 2016
